Ministry to Kids with Special Needs. 

Whenever I meet a second-grade student, I always joke, “I spent two of the happiest years of my life in the second grade.” Adults laugh but the child rarely gets it. The irony is, while most think it’s just a joke, I did repeat second grade, and I might add, they weren’t the happiest years of my life. I was a child with a special need that wasn’t discovered until second grade. Somehow, I had managed through preschool, at home, and at church, hiding the fact that I was nearly completely deaf in my left ear. 50% hearing meant that I often got in trouble for “not listening” or for “talking” when I asked a friend what the teacher said. The breaking point was getting detention for “cheating” when I was merely looking at a student’s paper to see what I was supposed to do, since I couldn’t hear the instructions. Once my handicap was discovered, life improved dramatically! I was moved to the front of the classroom and teachers started making sure I had both heard and understood. A second year of second grade was offered so I could catch up and improve my language skills. I wasn’t trying to be difficult or rebellious – I just had a need that required attention and some minor accommodation. Once my handicap was discovered, I went from feeling unloved, picked on, and “different” to accepted, understood, and cared for. The difference in my self-esteem was profound.

You have children with special needs in your midst. Some are obvious. But there are many that have hidden or undiscovered needs. Parents may be unaware or unwilling to address special needs. So how can you make sure that every child in your ministry feels welcome, loved, and understood?

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